The Champions stood near the massive bridge leading out of Zora's Domain, preparing their things while also fielding curious questions from a few of the Zora who had come to see them off. Zelda was speaking with the librarian, perhaps trying to 'borrow' a tome or two for an extended period, while Daruk was offloading more than he was packing amidst the gaggle of Zora children who had arrived to see the massive rock man one last time.
"You eat these?!" one of them wondered in lengthy incredulity, biting down on one of the pebbles Daruk had handed off as candy.
Daruk grinned, "Of course! They're quite the delicacy up in Eldin! Though, I don't think you children quite have the chompers to enjoy them as I do. What's the tastiest thing you kids have ever eaten?"
"Fatty tuna!" cried one of the taddies while the chorus muffled beneath a cacophony of replies, "Fish skewers!" "A massive porgy!"
"Alright!" declared Daruk, "Just imagine any one of those all balled up and smushed into a little tiny pellet of flavor. That's what these things are like!"
Unsatisfied, many of the children simply eyed the Goron candy, examining it in their hands as if in search of this mythical flavor they'd been told were concealed within the pebbled forms.
Link watched from nearby, shaking his head with a smile as he returned his attention to packing up his rucksack, having been offered a handful of trinkets by a few locals who had rounded up some gifts for the Champions. Crouched down, doing his rummaging, he chuckled at Urbosa's words as she spoke up.
"How is it that we didn't realize how much of a dad that man is until now?" she inquired rhetorically.
Link shot her a humored glance, "If we're headed up north from here, just wait until we run into a Hylian retriever; he'll become a child. He is a man of many ages, it seems."
Urbosa smirked at the scene playing out nearby, turning back toward Link as Tovar approached, his arm wrapped around Zevan as he kept him on his feet, albeit with some difficulty. Link rose to his feet respectfully, bowing his head as the two met him, much with the same show of reverence.
"Hylian," Tovar muttered, "When we brought you here, I cannot say I ever expected a sending off quite like this."
Link couldn't help but smirk, however weak, as he nervously scratched the back of his head, "That, uh, makes two of us."
He turned to Zevan, his leg bent upward as he stood there on one foot, "How're you holding up?"
"Pfft, better than ever," Zevan chuckled, "Nah, I've taken blows worse than this and always recovered."
Tovar frowned, "This one has always been a glutton for punishment. As a child, he would routinely escape my sight and try to fight the moblins up along Ruto Mountain."
"Come on, father; how else was I going to become a strong warrior that you could be proud of?"
Shooting his son a serious glance, Tovar assured, "Many days found me pondering whether or not I would even have a son to be proud of."
Zevan grumbled, turning to Link, "You're a Royal Knight; why don't you tell him?"
Only able to cross his arms, Link grinned, "Sorry. I'm with your father on this one."
Nearly aghast, Zevan unsteadily rocked back and forth while his father took a tighter grip to steady him, the son spouting with a surprised laugh, "Pardon?!"
Link tilted his head, "Look, there are so many things that people could look at about me and say that I was tapped for knighthood. My parents were joined together for that sole purpose, after all. You could look at my training, whatever-"
He shrugged, "It wasn't the licks I took or the bruises that stained my skin for a time that made me a Royal Knight. It was the fact that, when I got knocked down five times, I stood up six."
Zevan frowned, though his head dropped with a sigh nonetheless, "I suppose I see your point."
"Thank you," Tovar muttered with exasperation, "Take it from me. Your body won't always be there for you, but your determination will be."
Smirking, Zevan peered back up toward Link, "But you've got that Sword, too!"
Offering his own grin, Link raised a hand for the two men to shake, "Stick to spears, please; if only to ease your father's worries."
"Will do," Zevan chuckled, bumping an elbow into his fathers side before shaking Link's hand, "I can't be a little scamp my whole life."
"No," Tovar groaned, though he returned to his austere air as he shook Link's hand, "Thank you. Words cannot convey just how much we appreciate what you've done for us. For all the skepticism toward Hylians- That one would so desperately defend our home- It has not gone unnoticed."
Link nodded, "Well here's to a home worth defending. I've always been fond of this place."
"I assure you, then; so long as I'm here, you and these Champions will always be welcome," Tovar nodded, turning over his shoulder as he followed Link's suddenly shifting glance to see Lady Mipha strolling down the staircase toward the entryway, "So long as you have her in your Company, I doubt the rest of you will need much worry. Lady Mipha is one of our finest warriors in her own right."
"Oh, we've sparred before," Link chuckled, "Trust me, I know."
He returned to the two men, patting Zevan's shoulder, "Just make sure you'll continue getting up when you're knocked down."
"On my honor," Zevan smiled.
Tovar nodded in acceptance before turning to leave, carefully accompanying Zevan's weakened state as he did so. Link watched for a brief moment before hurrying back toward the Champions in time with Mipha, the Zora already in conversation with Zelda.
"-Father has offered us every blessing we could ever hope for," she finished.
His arm unslung, Revali cocked his head to the side, "And yet I continue to be inundated with trifling objects! Could you ask him to levy his subjects' offerings so that I might be left in peace?!"
Mipha grinned, "No can do, I'm afraid. You've become something of a folk hero, in particular."
"I beg your pardon?!" Revali exclaimed, much to the laughter of the others.
Urbosa exclaimed in between such laughs, "Revali?! Really?!"
Proudly, Mipha nodded with exuberance, "When I was tackled to the ground, Revali made like the truest of arrows to free me so that I could rescue Link. They say his form was magnif-"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Link interrupted with his open hands splayed out in front of him, twirling his index finger, "What was that again?"
Mipha smirked knowingly, noticing Revali's suddenly indifferent turning of his head away from the group, "Revali knocked me free to rescue you."
Urbosa's mouth, already wide in surprise, made a motion as she spoke up, "Whoa!"
Revali defiantly replied lowly, "Correlation does not equal causation, I assure you. I noticed a comrade in peril, so I acted as the greatest of warriors might."
He shrugged, "Had I known this Hylian had been at stake-"
"You'd have let him die? Really?" Urbosa questioned suddenly, though with a light air to her voice denoting her unbelief in Revali doing such a thing.
Silently, Revali's eyes peered out into the sky for the longest of moments, finally concluding, "I suppose I would not have."
"Ooooooh!" Urbosa nearly squealed with a zeal that often accompanied those young, girlish fans of more notable Hylian soldiers.
Revali gave a furious scowl in her direction, "Oh, do not dare presume any ulterior motives on my part! I understand two things during combat; those who want to bring harm to me, and those who do not. My own chances of survival only improve the more bodies that surround me, so of course I-"
His face suddenly sharpened into one of utter confusion as he glared at Link's outstretched hand, eyes turning up to meet the look of sheer earnest upon the Hylian's face.
"What..?" Revali charged lowly, as if expecting a prank.
Link's stare softened only slightly, "Thank you."
The Rito's skepticism remained.
"It means more to me than you'll ever know."
Revali's face remained fierce as he understood Link's gesture, a sneer crossing him as though disgusted by the thought of shaking this man's hand. As the seconds passed, however, his lips curled indifferently, reaching out only for a split second to shake Link's hands, quickly pulling away, crossing his arms, and turning away.
"Don't mention it," he seethed, "Really. Don't."
Urbosa could barely contain herself as she forced a squeal behind her clasped mouth, quickly turning to find Zelda quickly approached, her arrival seeming to have been the impetus for Revali's sudden action.
"Ooooh! Zelda! You missed it!"
Shocked, Zelda corrected, "Nuh uh! I got it!"
She smirked as though having been successful in a scheme, waving a sizeable tome in the air, "Gaferi's Histories! This ancient Gerudo text might be the most important-!"
"Revali and Link shook hands," Urbosa interrupted with a high-pitched voice.
"Aww!" Zelda mused with a raised brow, now earning Link's ire along with Revali's, "Was it cute?!"
"So cute," Urbosa confirmed.
"Okay," Link suddenly interjected, "I think we're ready to go. Right now."
Revali scurried away, "Couldn't agree more."
"Wait!" Zelda pleaded, "Just once more so I can see?!"
"Keep dreaming," Link seethed as he clasped up his rucksack.
Zelda shrugged, "Perhaps I will. In any case, all things considered, I would consider this leg of the journey a rousing success! We learned a lot about the Divine Beasts, quelled an uprising, found a long-lost tome- it isn't even summertime!"
"And no casualties," Mipha remined with a grin.
"Oh yeah, that too," Zelda absent mindedly reiterated as she opened the cover of her new book, meandering behind Urbosa's direction as they headed toward the bridge.
"Yo, Daruk! Come on!" Urbosa shouted, returning to Zelda, "So what did that book cost you?"
Zelda turned up toward Urbosa with shock, "Cost?! Is there a price upon knowledge?! I simply turned down the rupees King Dorephan was going to offer us."
"Pardon?" Urbosa retorted with shock.
"So what if the librarian described it as 'showering us with rupees'? No price can be put on the wealth of knowledge we'll find in here! even if Gaferi is largely refuted by our current scholarship. I say there's always value in everything."
Urbosa ran two fingers across her closed eyes, "Zelda… That is the most 'you' thing I've ever heard."
"Thanks!" Zelda chimed, quickly souring, "...I think?"
Daruk joined them in a rush as they trailed down the bridge toward the mainland, "Sorry! What did I miss?!"
"Zelda turned down a fortune while Link and Revali shook hands," Urbosa half-complained.
Nodding exuberantly, Daruk noted, "So just another moment in the life of our Champions, eh?"
"Just about," Mipha giggled quietly.
"Hmm," Daruk thought aloud, "I wonder what else is in store for this wily bunch of heroes and their dashing Goron deputy!"
With Zelda ensconced within her book, Urbosa lost in thoughts of Link and Revali together, Link critical in his offering silence while Mipha kept her eyes upon him- only Revali was left to answer him.
"No doubt some excellent times," he sputtered with all the sarcasm he would muster, shaking his head.
Daruk threw a triumphant fist into the air, "Bwah ha ha! I can only hope so!"